Energy and Environment

UNDP Russia has been supporting implementation of the national sustainable development policies through a series of environment projects. UNDP environmental activities focus on conservation of globally important biodiversity, climate change and energy efficiency, water resources management and sustainable development. Following the development of carbon markets fostered with the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, UNDP Russia cooperates with the UNDP MGD Carbon Facility to broaden access to the carbon finance for the Russian partners. UNDP Country Office prioritizes activities in the Russian regions: our environmental portfolio includes over 20 large-scale projects in 24 Russian regions. The primary financing for the UNDP Russia environment portfolio is provided by the Global Environment Facility (Global Environment Facility), the Russian government (co-financing in the framework of national programmes), private sector, international and bilateral donors (e.g. Canadian and German Governments). The on-going portfolio consists of projects worth of US$45 million (total co-financing over US$ 60 million) and the pipeline of new Access to sustainable energy services project is under development.

In 2011, energy efficiency and environment programme activities were focusing on Global Environment Facility projects in biodiversity conservation and energy efficiency thematic areas. Two Global Environment Facility projects (“Biodiversity Conservation in the Russian Portion of the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion” and “Strengthening Protected Area System of the Komi Republic to Conserve Virgin Forest Biodiversity in the Pechora River Headwaters Region”) were complemented by carbon sequestration components financed by the International Climatic Initiative (Germany). Two projects (“Biodiversity Conservation in the Russian Portion of the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion” and “Strengthening Protected Area System of the Komi Republic to Conserve Virgin Forest Biodiversity in the Pechora River Headwaters Region”) undergone independent evaluations with positive evaluation ranks, two new full-sized projects (“Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into Russia’s energy sector policies and operations” and “Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem”) have started in the field of biodiversity conservation and sustainable water management, and one new international waters project idea (“Integrated adaptive management of the West Bering Sea Large Marine Ecosystem in a Changing Climate”) was approved by the Global Environment Facility for development of a full-sized project.